Hardback. 137 pages. Published 1980. Photographs. Maps. Illustrations.

What a great find! In absolutely pristine condition!

Noosa is located on the Sunshine Coast in South East Queensland, Australia. It is bounded by Maroochy Shire in the south, and Cooloola Shire in the North. The name Noosa comes from the Aboriginal word for "shadow' or "shadey place".

The placename "Noosa" is used to describe a cluster of suburbs none of which are actually called Noosa. The main suburbs that could be considered to be within the Noosa town are: Noosa Heads, Noosaville, Sunshine Beach, Sunrise Beach and Tewantin.

The current population of the Noosa Shire is approximately 50,000 permanent residents, although tourism based seasonal fluctuations can boost that number by perhaps 20,000+ visitors. As such the Noosa economy is primarily driven by tourism.

The Noosa area was originally home to many Aboriginal tribes. These include the Undumbi tribe to the south, the Dulingbara to the north, and the Gabbi Gabbi to the west.

Although much of the culture and presence of the traditional owners of the Noosa district has been lost during the short period of white settlement, there still exists many subtle reminders. These include:

bora rings, used during rituals.
canoe trees, marks on trees where bark was removed for canoes.
border/navigation trees, marks on trees used to mark paths and/or tribal borders.
stone carvings
burial trees
middens, shell mounds created by thousands of years of discarded shells.
stone axes
spoken legends, many local legends which were traditionally passed through the generations survive today.
place names, many local names are versions of the original aboriginal names. 'Noosa' is said to be a western interpretation of the aboriginal name for the area 'Noothera', meaning a place of shade and harmony.

In the last 50 years Noosa has been transformed from an isolated fishing village to a popular tourist destination. Although this has had its costs the shire is known for its generally greener approach to development. Most development in Noosa has been restrained. Noosa has no high rise buildings and much remaining native forest. Almost 35 per cent of Noosa shire comprises National Parks, Conservation Parks, State Forests, and other generally protected land. The local government has implemented a controversial population cap of 65,000 permanent residents for the shire.